In Ecuador, the government decreed a state of emergency following the assassination of a presidential candidate.

Fernando Villavicencio was attacked yesterday by alleged gunmen as he left a political rally in capital Quito.

According to polls, the victim was one of the candidates with the highest voting intentions for the August 20 vote.

Due to the attack, President Guillermo Lasso ordered the deployment of troops in several parts of the country.

But he ratified that the elections will be held nonetheless.

"Faced with the loss of a democrat and a fighter, the vote will not be suspended," Lasso affirmed.